USA A-OK

The Fourth of July — a holiday that for the past few years has barely registered with me — turned into a three-event extravaganza in New Delhi.

Event the first:

A woman on the metro desk who will be married this Friday in Shimla invited me to a reception the night of July 4. I was the only American to make it, which rarely happens, as the HT interns have tended to move in a pack to social functions. The event was very classy – outdoors, great catered food (including Lucknow kebabs, which I had never tried), an open bar and, at the end of the night, Indian songs played by some guy with an acoustic guitar. About one hour into his impromptu set, he stopped the music, pointed at me and said: “You. You feel left out.” Although I told him I was enjoying myself just fine, he insisted, in an effort to make the evening more America-friendly, on launching into Metallica’s “Nothing Else Matters” followed by Bryan Adams’ “Summer of ’69.” I thought it peculiar that everyone knew every word to the latter, but on Monday, when I mentioned this to another metro reporter, she said the song is played at every party.

Event the second:

The U.S. Embassy threw a party for ex-pats on Saturday night. Some points of note: drinks were served by marines; the dinner menu included hot dogs and hamburgers; partygoers were greeted by an Indian Uncle Sam who was, quite inexplicably, on stilts (see picture with Emily); and a DJ closed the evening with a dance party that featured both rap and country hits and, as a closer, Don McLean’s “American Pie.”

Event the third:

Emily, Michelle and I threw a Fourth of July-themed party at the guesthouse on Sunday. The girls made apple cobbler (it would’ve been pie, but we lack an oven) and sweet potatoes. I was in charge of champagne – both drinking it and encouraging others to do the same. The party turned into a viewing of the Wimbledon final between Federer and Nadal, which lasted until 2 a.m. Sadly, only the houseboy and I were in it for the long haul, and he stayed only because he sleeps in the common room with the television (meaning that I kept him up, which in retrospect I feel bad about).

The takeaways: 1. I love America, and also Spain (Rafa!). And India. 2. I am looking forward to an alcohol-free few days.